Time's Forgotten Whispers

                                        by Chelsea The Muse

 Night had long since fallen, but still the three figures sat outside, enjoying the fullest, brightest moon any of them had seen in sometime.  Two of the men, really no more then boys, but aged far beyond their years by what they had seen and done, faced another man. The man had been young once, and sometimes it was evident in the spring in his step, or the sudden smiles that would flash across his face, but as quickly as it came, the youth vanished.

 Finally, one of the boys spoke. He kept his voice at a low murmur, although he knew there was no reason to speak quietly now. He was safe, for the moment anyway.                                                                                                    

   "Tell me, Sirius. I want to know it all." Sirius winced at the use of his Christian name. He had hoped that by now his own son would be comfortable enough with him to call him Dad, or even Father. However, he knew that he would have to gain his child's trust first.

      "Sterling, the story I have to tell you is long and painful. It's hard for me to remember it, much less talk about it. But, I'm going to tell you, and Harry too," Sirius added, nodding toward the black-haired boy who looked so much like James.

        "I don't care if it hurts, just tell me! I've waited all these years in hiding, wondering why I was an outcast, why I was so different! I demand to know the truth!" the boy's voice rose and Sirius heard himself as an eighteen-year-old, although those days had long since come to pass. He sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair, staring into the glowing red orb in the sky. He had hoped he'd never have to see another red moon again...

        "Then you must listen closely, and do not interrupt until I am through." Sirius said, surprised at his intensity. He sensed, rather then saw Sterling and Harry's nods in the darkness, and so he began his tale.

         "In my first few years at Hogwarts, I acted like any other young boy would; I treated girls like a plague. Together with Remus, and Peter, we played ruthless tricks on the girls, always managing with the help of the Invisibility Cloak and the  Maurader's Map to avoid being caught.

      "However, by our fourth year, it became evident to the rest of us that James' heart just wasn't in the tricks we played any longer. He began to spend more and more time with a bright, red-haired Gryffindor Chaser. Your mother, Harry." Sirius said, with a quick grin in the boy's direction.

       "At first we loathed James the time he was spending with Lily, but then I noticed a girl I had never really paid attention to, the Gryffindor Keeper. She was Lily's best friend and the most  beautiful girl I had ever seen, with long, black curls and dark eyes. It always seemed to me that no matter how often she smiled or seemed happy, there was something sad hidden behind her eyes. I was intrigued by her mystery, and finally my persistence paid off when she allowed me to take her to the Yule Ball.

          "In time, this lovely girl Celeste Dragonclaw and I became very close. We confided all of our deepest, darkest secrets in one another. She told me about her family, who had all been in Slytherin House and the shame she felt she had brought upon them by being chosen to be in Gryffindor. For her family, it was a matter of highest shame, and she never went home on the holidays, choosing to spend them all at Hogwarts. James and I stayed, as well as Lily, and we were often the only ones in the entire Gryffindor Tower.

         "However, for us, this happiness and bliss we had known was not to last. During our last few years as students at Hogwarts, Voldemort had steadily been on the rise. By the time we graduated, the entire wizarding world lived in fear. Celeste's parents had long since gone to the Dark Side, and so when she graduated, she had no place to go. She feared her parents trying to reclaim her, and bring her to the Dark Side against her will, so with Dumbledore's help, we performed a Fidelius Charm, and Lily and I were chosen as Secret-Keepers. The four of us took a small flat in Diagon Alley, and against everyone's advice, Lily and Celeste became Aurors. And they were damned good Aurors, the best women Aurors that ever lived." Sirius saw Harry smiling in the darkness, but Sterling remained still and intense
           

"I remember the day Celeste disappeared." Sirius said. "She came home with Lily, both of them looking worse then death. Both James and I worried about them, and we tried to get them to tell us what was wrong, but neither ever would. They told us it was because their work was "confidential", and maybe it was, but James and I knew they were sheltering us from the truth. It was a Monday night, and Celesete was looking even paler then usual. She went to bed around eight p.m. and I remained in the living room with James and Lily. We sat around talking and reading, and the hours slipped by quickly, when we heard a crash and a scream.  Instantly, we were all on our feet, with wands drawn and ready and we ran into my bedroom, pushing open the door.  Voldemort stood near the window, holding Celeste around her shoulders. She was unconscious, and Lily tried to use a curse to capture him, but Voldemort Disapperated before anyone could help her." Sirius paused for a breath. Harry could feel Sterling's rising tension beside him, and wasn't surprised when he started yelling.

    "And you just let Voldemort TAKE her?! Why her?" he yelled. "Why couldn't it have been you!" Sterling stood up and stalked off the porch and out into the dark lawn below. Sirius made no move to call him back, although it was dangerous for a young wizard to go out unarmed now.

     "He'll be all right, Sirius. It'll just take some time." Harry said, touching his godfather's shoulder. Sirius nodded in agreement and the two sat on.

to be continued....